Research finds Irish dancers face higher risk of injuries

Dr. Roisin Cahalan has published a study, which examined a cohort of 37 championship level adolescent Irish dancers. Participants were screened at baseline for a host of potential biopsychosocial risk factors, and their injury history for the previous 12 months was recorded. Results showed that 84% of subjects recorded at least one pain/injury during the previous year, with many choosing to dance while in pain or injured. The incidence of injury was up to twice as high in some cases as injury in elite adolescent ballet or contemporary dancers. Proposed explanations include inappropriate technique progression, unique choreographical features, and an over-arduous calendar of competitive events. A prospective study nearing completion will help clarify causal factors in these dancers.